Truss.



L. A. FRITSCH.

TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.2I, 1917.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS A. FBITSCH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 OHIO TRUSS COMPANY. OF CINCINNATI. OHIO.

TRUSS.

Application filed November 21, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, LEWIS A. FRI'rsoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Truss, of which the following is a specificat'ion.

It is the object of this invention to provide a truss including a. cover, adapted to resist moisture and perspiration, thereby to prevent the rusting and deterioration of the body encircling spring of the truss; to extend a portion of the covering, thereby to form an elastic attaching tongue; and to provide novel means for rendering a portion of the tongue inelastic at a point where the tongue is detachably connected to another portion of the truss.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

Vith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in perspective, a truss embodying the present improvements, parts being broken away, and parts being viewed in front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a metal, body encircling spring 1, formed of a strip, one end 2 of the spring being disposed adjacent the front of the body of the wearer, and the other end 3 of the spring being disposed at the side' of the body of the wearer, it being obvious that the position of the end 8 of the spring 1 will be determined to a large extent by the circumference of the body of the person to whom the truss is applied. The spring 1 is inclosed in a tubular, one piece Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

Serial No. 203,173.

covering, which is longitudinally elastic, the covering being made of moisture resisting material. It will be obvious that rubber has the characteristics above alluded to, and the covering 4, therefore, preferably is a flattened rubber. One end of the covering 4 is extended beyond the end 3 of the spring 1 to form a longitudinally elastic tongue 5. A means is provided whereby the free end of the tongue 5 is rendered. inelastic, and with this object in view, a strip 6 is disposed within the tongue 5 adjacent the free end thereof, the strip being made out of some material which is longitudinally inextensible. The strip 6 is flexible and may be fashioned from canvas or some other textile material. Lines of the stitching indicated at 7, run longitudinally of the tongue 5 and engage the strip 6 to hold the same in place. The stitching 7 is longitudinally inextensible, and either the stitching or the strip 6 may be omitted, although it is preferable to use both of them. It is to be observed that, as indicated at 8, the stitching 7 and the strip 6 terminate in spaced relation to the end 3 of the spring 2. Therefore, that portion 9 of the tongue 5 which lies between the end 8 of the strip 6 and the end 3 of the spring 1 is longitudinally elastic and aids in holding the truss on the body of the wearer.

The pad which the truss supports may be mounted in any desired way. In the present instance, but not necessarily, the extremity 2 of the spring 1 carries an arm 10 to which a pad 11 is attached adjustably, the arm 10 having a stud 12 adapted to be received, for adjustment, in any one of a plurality of openings 14 formed in the end of the tongue 5 and in the strip 6.

The following points of advantage are to be noted in connection with the truss hereinbefore described. The covering 4, being made preferably of rubber, protects the spring 1 against deterioration due to moisture or perspiration. Since the covering 4 is made of longitudinally elastic material, such as rubber, the portion 9 of the tongue 5 will have the necessary elasticity, and aid in holding the truss in place. Referring to the presence of the strip 6 and the stitching 7, or one of these elements, it will be seen that the end of the tongue 5 which is connected to the stud 12 is longitudinally inthe pull imposed when the device is in use.

Owing to the fact that the spring 1 is inclosed in the moisture-proof resilient covering 4, the truss forming the subject matter of this application embraces all of the advantages of two kinds of trusses combined in one, namely a spring truss and an elastic truss. A spring truss is necessary in severe cases of hernia, and will hold the ruptures of this kind, whereas, an all elastic truss will not have suflicient power to accomplish the result mentioned. The construction of the device herein disclosed is such that the power of a spring truss is preserved, for use in severe cases, and, at the same time, the elastic covering i embraces the advantages of the resilient belt, permitting a certain amount of stretch and give as is necessary when the wearer stoops, bends, jumps, or assumes, otherwise a more or less abnormal position. In spring trusses having a cover made of leather or other inelastic material there is no resiliency, and such a truss of necessity cuts or chafes the flesh.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A truss comprising a body-encircling spring; and a tubular, one piece covering inclosing the spring, the covering being made of moisture-resisting material and being longitudinally-elastic, one end of the covering being extended beyond one end of the spring to form a longitudinally-elastic attaching-tongue.

2.,A truss comprlslng a body-encircling spring; a tubular, longitudinally-elastic covering inclosing the spring and extended beyond one end of the spring to form an attaching-tongue; and longitudinally inelastic means assembled with the tongue adjacent its free end and terminated in spaced relation to said end of the spring to render a portion of the tongue longitudinally-elastic.

3. A truss constructed in accordance with claim 2, and further characterized by the fact that said longitudinally-inelastic means embodies a line of stitching extended longitudinally of ,the tongue and terminated in spacedrelation to said end of the spring.

i. A truss constructed in accordance with claim 2, and further characterized by the fact that said longitudinally-inelastic means embodies a flexible, inextensible strip disposed in the tongue.

A truss constructedin accordance with claim 2, and further characterized by the fact that said longitudinally-inelastic means consists of a flexible, ineXtensible strip disosed in the ton 'ue and a line of stitchin b 7 in uniting the tongue, the stitching and the strip terminating in spaced relation to said end of the spring. or

6. A truss comprising a metal, body-encircling spring; a tubular rubber covering housing the spring, one end of the covering being extended beyond one end of the spring to form a bendable tongue; a flexible, longitudinally-inextensible strip mounted in the tongue adjacent the free end of the tongue; and stitching uniting a portion of the tongue with the strip, the stitching and the strip terminating in spaced relation to said end of the spring, whereby thatportion of the tongue which lies between the said end of the spring and the strip will remain longitudinally elastic and aid in holding the truss on the body of the wearer.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa ture.

LEWIS A. FRITSOH.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

